


so forgive me (for doing what's best for you)

by flyingthesky



Series: Blind Box Mystery Fics [1]
Category: We Are The Tigers - Allen
Genre: Ableist Language, Ambiguous Relationships, F/F, Pictures Taken Five Seconds Before Disaster, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-04-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:54:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23808742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flyingthesky/pseuds/flyingthesky
Summary: “You went looking for the video again.” It's not a question, because there's no point in questioning Riley. The answer isyes. Cairo knows Riley well enough to guarantee that. “Riley, I've told you you can't go looking for that shit. It's not good for you.”“I need to know what people are saying.” There's a brittleness to Riley's voice, her small shoulders set. “I need to know what we're up against.”
Relationships: Cairo/Riley (We Are The Tigers)
Series: Blind Box Mystery Fics [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1715392
Comments: 3
Kudos: 27





	so forgive me (for doing what's best for you)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DragonNinjaAri](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonNinjaAri/gifts).



“Do you ever give it a rest?” Cairo is sprawled on Riley’s bed, flipping through one of the teen magazines that litter her room. Riley only ever looks at what the best hairspray or the latest fashion trends are, because that’s what she cares about, but Cairo reads the stories hidden in the pages where parents never think to look. “You can take a break, Riley. We’re not even going to see the rest of the team for another week.”

“We’re never going to be known for anything but our mistakes if we’re not perfect.”

Cairo knows that tone of voice. It makes her sit up, tossing the magazine to the side. She’ll clean it up later so Riley doesn’t get stressed out, but that’s not important right now. When she first taught Riley how to carry herself with confidence, when she first started bolstering Riley and shaping her into someone that everyone would want to know, Cairo didn’t realize quite how fragile the house of cards she was building would be.

It worked, but there’s a cost for everything and the cost for Riley’s new ambitions is that her mild neuroticism has turned into full-blown crazytown.

“You went looking for the video again.” It’s not a question, because there’s no point in questioning Riley. The answer is _yes_. Cairo knows Riley well enough to guarantee that. “Riley, I’ve told you you can’t go looking for that shit. It’s not good for you.”

There’s no response for a long moment. Sometimes, Cairo worries that getting Riley into cheerleading was a bad idea. It’s the perfect thing for Riley’s skill set, but the pressure is bad for her. Maybe Cairo _should_ have run for captain against her, even if she didn’t want the responsibility and the team probably wouldn’t have picked her anyway. Being captain is bad for Riley in some unquantifiable way, and Cairo’s not sure that they’ll make it through the year without Riley breaking down.

Well. In that case, Cairo will just have to make sure Riley has her breakdown somewhere away from people with cameras. If nobody’s around to film it, then it can’t embarrass their team.

“I need to know what people are saying.” There’s a brittleness to Riley’s voice, her small shoulders set. “I need to know what we’re up against.”

They’ve had this conversation before. Honestly, it feels like they’re constantly having this conversation since the video of their team went viral and Cairo is tired of it. If Riley could just stop caring so much what other people thought of them, things would go so much smoother. The one thing that Cairo’s never been able to train out of Riley is her obsession. When Riley wants something, she becomes utterly _obsessed_ with it and that’s a double-edged sword.

In the right circumstances that obsession can be harnessed for good, but most of the time it just makes her brittle and fragile in a way that Cairo hates to see.

Standing up, Cairo crosses the room and wraps her arms around Riley. She presses a kiss to the side of her neck and stays until the tension in Riley’s tiny frame eases. That’s how it always is with them: Riley stresses out about every possible little thing and Cairo is there to make sure she doesn’t shatter under the pressure of it. Cairo is there to kiss the stress away. Their relationship is built on give and take: Cairo gives Riley unconditional love and support, and Riley takes it and turns it into something productive. Sometimes, Cairo wonders what would happen if her love for Riley ran out.

In fourth grade, Cairo befriended Riley because she saw that Riley could become something better. She only needed the support to become something better, and Cairo has never been interested in having the spotlight for herself. Supporting someone else is easy, though, especially when it’s Riley. Riley wants the world, and Cairo is willing to give it to her. She just has to learn to take care of herself first.

“There’s this thing called ‘self-care’ that’s all the rage these days.” Cairo sets her chin on Riley’s shoulder, brushing their cheeks together. “If you don’t get yourself some of it, you’re gonna go crazy and stab me some day. You deserve to take a break sometimes.”

“I would never hurt you, Cairo.” Riley squirms around in Cairo’s grip until they’re chest to chest. She touches Cairo’s cheek, something in her expression desperate and wild. “You’d never leave me, right? I’ll always have your support?”

Riley sounds unsure and small, the way she used to when they were younger and Cairo befriended her by force. Cairo rarely sees this side of Riley now that it stays hidden behind her ambition and drive, but she knows Riley would never show to anyone else on the team. This side of Riley is for Cairo alone, because for the rest of the world, Riley has to be perfect. For Cairo, she can be whatever she wants to be. Cairo would love her anyway, because she’s invested so much into Riley. Riley’s become almost her entire world and part of Cairo knows that’s unhealthy, but she can’t bring herself to care.

“I’ll always be on your team, babe.” Cairo leans down, pressing their lips together, and Riley’s fingers twist in the soft fabric of her shirt. When she pulls away, Riley tries to chase her lips and Cairo laughs. It’s funny how simple Riley can be when they’re alone. “I only ever want what’s best for you.”

“Cairo,” Riley says, voice still small, “you mean that, right? You’ll be with me no matter what happens with the team this year?”

“It doesn’t matter if we win or lose, Riley. I’ve only ever cared that I’m with you.”

On some level, Cairo means that. It’s also nonsense meant to soothe, but Cairo tries not to say things that she doesn’t mean—at least not to Riley. Lying to other people has always been easier than lying to Riley, so everything Cairo says to her is something she means, even if it’s a little bit hyperbole.

“Good.” Riley rests her head against Cairo’s chest. “This year _will_ be perfect.”

“Sure,” Cairo says, because the easiest way to get Riley to calm down is always to agree with her. That hasn’t changed from when they were in fourth grade and Cairo saw something in Riley that no one else did. “What could go wrong?”

**Author's Note:**

> these two characters were experiencing very different fics, maybe.
> 
> anyway, this was a mystery fic for my very dear friend [DragonNinjaAri](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonNinjaAri/)! you too can make me write your obscure otps from even more obscure musicals! or your less obscure otps from other things! [just click here to find out more](https://hesatreat.tumblr.com/mysteryfic).


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